My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 150 Deciphering the "Yingzao Fashi" (Building Standards)

Everyone present was stunned. Real learning?
Lei Li had also studied Gao Gong's practical knowledge and had recently come into contact with the exegesis that was popular in the capital, but could this stuff solve practical problems?
Have you, Su Ze, gone stupid from reading too much?
Su Ze smiled slightly and said:
"Minister Lei, the practical learning that your teacher and minister admires lies in putting it into practice and conducting specific research based on facts."

"The 'Yingzao Fashi' has been lost, but what has been lost is not the text itself, but the interpretation of the text."

"The practical knowledge is precisely what can be studied. Why not start with the practical knowledge and reprint the 'Yingzao Fashi'?"

The officials from the Ministry of Works looked at each other in bewilderment, while Lei Li smiled and said:

"You make it sound so easy. Do you expect me to dig up the tombs of Song Dynasty craftsmen and ask them what these words in their writings mean?"

"Or are you saying that you can explain the words in the 'Yingzao Fashi' by using philology? That's not the word of a sage!"

Su Ze smiled gently and said:
"The artisans of the Tang and Song dynasties have passed away, but the buildings from that period still exist."

Lei Li paused for a moment, and Su Ze continued:

"If we use the 'Yingzao Fashi' (Building Standards) as an example, visit ancient buildings from the Tang and Song dynasties, and then deduce from the rulers and scales on those ancient buildings, wouldn't we be able to understand the 'Yingzao Fashi'?"

Lei Li strode forward, disregarding etiquette, grabbed Su Ze, and asked:

"Is it really possible?"

Su Ze said:

"In the fourth volume of the Yingzao Fashi, the first section on the system of large timber construction states: 'The order of the main timber construction is such that when the timber is installed in a series of leaps, the arch is installed. This is called the 'calculation of the core'. If the arch is not installed in a series of leaps, but the timber is extended again or extended outwards, this is called the 'stealing of the core'."

When he was young, Lei Li read the "Yingzao Fashi" (Treatise on Architectural Methods) and treasured it.

However, despite his efforts, Lei Li was unable to decipher the book, but he did remember the passage that Su Ze had recited.

This passage describes two types of bracket sets used in the Song Dynasty, called "Jixin Gong" and "Touxin Gong". However, there are no illustrations in this passage, and it is impossible to know how to build such bracket sets based on text alone.

Su Ze said:

"There is a Foguang Temple on Mount Wutai, which is an ancient building from the Tang Dynasty. Foguang Temple has many dougong brackets. Minister Lei can send someone to verify whether they are related to the scheming and heart-stealing.

Lei Li trembled with excitement as he looked at Su Ze and asked:

"anything else?"

Lei Li was thin and short, but he had a strong grip. In order to break free as quickly as possible, Su Ze hurriedly said:
"There is a wooden pagoda in Ying County, Shanxi Province, which is comparable in height to the Mingtang Hall of the Wu Zhou Dynasty."

Lei Li's eyes lit up even more, and he continued to grab Su Ze, asking, "What else!"

Su Ze could only continue:

"There is a Dule Temple in Ji County, Beizhili, which is where An Lushan raised his army in the Tang Dynasty. Historical records show that the temple was rebuilt in the Liao Dynasty using the techniques of Song Dynasty craftsmen."

Lei Li wished he could devour Su Ze whole, but Su Ze quickly said:
"Grand Commander, that's all!"

Lei Li stared at Su Ze before letting him go.

At this moment, he was completely immersed in Su Ze's blueprint.

Using ancient architecture as examples, we re-deciphered the "Yingzao Fashi" (Building Standards) and created a "standard" for the Ming Dynasty!

Lei Li had originally thought that he had no more ambitions.

He oversaw the reconstruction of the three main halls and received commendation from the late emperor.

His official position was Minister of Works, and he had reached the point where he could not be promoted further.

Lei Li could be said to have reached the pinnacle of his career as an official in the Ministry of Works.

Lei Li had thought he had no more desires, but after Su Ze's words today, his heart was in turmoil.

If we can truly decipher the "Yingzao Fashi" (Building Standards) from ancient architecture using practical knowledge, as Su Ze suggested, then this would be a merit that will be remembered in history!

Just as all the officials of the Ministry of Works knew Li Jie, the Song Dynasty official who compiled the "Yingzao Fashi" (Building Standards), who could forget Lei Li when mentioning the officials of the Ministry of Works of the Ming Dynasty?

Lei Li stared at Su Ze and then said:

"If it really works, I will definitely take credit for you!"

After saying this, Lei Li led the Ministry of Works officials and left the history museum.

After Lei Li left, Luo Wanhua and the others rushed in. Luo Wanhua asked worriedly:

"Brother Su, is what you're saying going to work?"

Su Ze nodded slightly and touched his shoulder, which had been pinched sore by Lei Li.

Of course it can work!

Before Su Ze transmigrated, the "Yingzao Fashi" (Building Standards) had already been largely deciphered.

The architect Liang Sicheng was the one who deciphered this book.

After Liang Sicheng received the "Yingzao Fashi" (Building Standards) from his father Liang Qichao, he always wanted to decipher it.

Liang Sicheng's method of deciphering the book was actually the same as Su Ze's method: starting with ancient architecture, figuring out the professional terminology in the "Yingzao Fashi" (Building Standards), and then using examples to reverse-engineer the content of the book, thereby deciphering it.

The three buildings that Liang Sicheng focused on investigating were the one Su Ze had just mentioned: Foguang Temple on Mount Wutai, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, and Dule Temple in Jixian.

When Liang Sicheng deciphered the "Yingzao Fashi" (Building Standards), it was already the Republic of China era. Now it is the Longqing era of the Ming Dynasty, and there must be even more ancient Tang and Song buildings still existing!

With more control groups and field data, Su Ze believed that with Lei Li's professional abilities, he would definitely be able to decipher the "Yingzao Fashi" (Building Standards)!
As just mentioned, the most important value of the "Yingzao Fashi" is not only that it is an architectural manual, but also that it is a manual for cost estimation and auditing.

This handbook transforms engineering estimation into a scientific method, allowing for the estimation of construction volume and costs for any building from the design stage.

Conversely, the cost of already constructed buildings can also be calculated using this manual.

Cost estimation and auditing systems are very important aspects of administrative management. They can make projects transparent, keep those in charge of projects alert and prevent them from embezzling funds, and prevent projects from becoming a murky mess.

Of course, it's impossible to completely eliminate it; even Su Ze couldn't do it when he transmigrated.

However, reducing corruption and waste to some extent is also very useful for improving administrative capacity.

It's important to understand that during the Wanli era, countless taxes were levied to construct the three main halls. Every time such projects were undertaken, it was a lengthy process of wrangling and passing the buck. By re-establishing the "standards," at least in the future, similar projects will have a clear accounting, a set of accounts that everyone can understand.

This is the greatest value of republishing the "Yingzao Fashi"!
These values ​​are visible to themselves, to the emperor and the cabinet, and to all the officials.

More importantly, if Lei Li can really use this method to crack the "Yingzao Fashi" (Building Standards), then who can still say that practical knowledge is useless?
In fact, Liang Sicheng's method of deciphering the "Yingzao Fashi" was also influenced by his father, Liang Qichao, who was an authority on textual research.

Finally, "Yingzao Fashi" is a book that would not have been outdated even before Su Ze's transmigration.

Besides the above content, the most important thing about the "Yingzao Fashi" is that it puts forward the concept of "standard wooden components".

Standard wooden components refer to the standardized construction materials required for any building. The components needed for any building are all arrangements and combinations of these "standard wooden components".

This is similar to the standard parts of a toy in a previous life. When building a structure, the workshop only needs to place an order to build the standard parts, and the construction site only needs to perform simple processing on the standard parts before they can be installed directly on the site.

This standardized and modular design is undoubtedly very advanced, which allows the production and on-site installation of wooden components for a project to be carried out simultaneously, or the same building to be mass-produced and constructed.

This approach can even be applied to other fields, such as standardizing parts, producing more standardized artillery and muskets, and building more standardized ships.

And these are the greatest values ​​of the book "Yingzao Fashi".
-
February 7th, the third year of the Longqing reign.

Ji County is located near the capital. Dule Temple is an ancient temple that is quite famous in the area. Local people say that praying for children here is very effective.

Even the locals can't say for sure how old the temple is.

Having experienced several wars, this temple was originally a Chan (Zen) temple, then a Vinaya (Law) temple, and now a popular Wutai (Wutai) temple. The monks of this temple have changed several times, and even the abbot of the temple cannot explain the history of the temple.

Some literati and scholars have also visited this place, saying that it was the place where An Lushan swore an oath to raise his army in the Tang Dynasty. However, the inscriptions on the temple's steles have long been erased in the long river of history, and the locals regard it as an interesting anecdote and no one takes it seriously.

But today, Dule Temple suddenly became lively. A group of people dressed in official robes rushed into Dule Temple, led by a high-ranking official in a vermilion robe.

Abbot Huayan of Dule Temple remained calm. Dule Temple had once been glorious and had even helped Yan Shifan, the son of a former Grand Secretary, pray for a son. After the prayer was answered, Yan Shifan asked his father, Yan Song, the Grand Secretary, to personally inscribe a plaque, which now hangs on the main gate of the temple.

The monks and Taoist priests of the Ming Dynasty maintained close ties with officials, and Dule Temple, being a famous temple near the capital, was frequently visited by officials.

However, after Yan Song fell from power, Dule Temple also violated some taboos, and high-ranking officials and nobles from the capital stopped coming to visit.

The monk Huayan was quite at ease. The political scene in the Ming Dynasty was full of ups and downs, and perhaps he could overturn the verdict against Grand Secretary Yan in the future, so he was too lazy to replace the plaque with Yan Song's inscription.

The monk Huayan could also tell that the lean old man at the head of the group was of noble status. He assumed that the old man had come to ask for a son, so he quickly fawned over him.

But as soon as the monk Huayan approached, he was stopped by a tall and strong official.

The old man held a book in his hand, and several officials followed him with paper and pen. The old man went directly to Guanyin Pavilion.

However, instead of entering the temple to pray to Guanyin for a child, he led the crowd around the Guanyin Pavilion, pointing and gesturing.

The monk Huayan tried to get closer, but everyone was speaking in a language he couldn't understand.

What "open two and hidden three", what "eight-sided caisson ceiling", what "double copying and stealing heart creation"?

These officials, both high and low, were shouting and making a ruckus, then writing and drawing, and some even tried to climb up the Guanyin Pavilion, which made the monk Huayan stomp his feet in frustration.

Guanyin Pavilion is the signature feature of Dule Temple, and it is precisely because of its efficacy in granting wishes for children that it is sought after by the world. If these officials disturb Guanyin Bodhisattva and the wishes for children are no longer granted, wouldn't Dule Temple be left to starve?
Unfortunately, these officials didn't seem like officials at all; they were all big and burly, and even the monks, including Huayan, were subdued.

I don't know which clever disciple shouted out:
"What kind of officials act like this? You must be robbers impersonating officials!"

After saying this, the disciples took the opportunity to slip out of the temple and rushed to the Ji County government office to report to the authorities.

Despite all this commotion, the elderly man at the head of the group ignored it, instead focusing intently on his book and glancing at the Guanyin Pavilion from time to time.

The old man was none other than Lei Li, the Minister of Works.

"Just as I thought! So this is the Heart-Stealing Creation!"

Lei Li wished he could climb up the bracket set, dismantle the Stealing Heart Building, and take it back to the Ministry of Works.

Lei Li was flanked by Fu Shun and Wan Jing, who were his protectors. Fu Shun was tall and skilled at climbing and scaling walls, and he had already climbed onto the roof of the Guanyin Pavilion.

Fu Shun stood on the rooftop and said excitedly:

"Grand Minister! The roof ridge beast isn't an immortal riding a phoenix, it's a horse-riding figure from the Liao Dynasty! This is indeed a Liao Dynasty temple!"

Lei Li built three main halls. The ridge beasts are a row of decorative items on the eaves. Originally, they were used to protect the wooden pegs and iron nails, prevent water leakage and rust, and fix and support the joints of the ridge.

Later, the ridge beasts evolved to serve a decorative purpose, and different sizes of buildings had different numbers of ridge beasts.

In normal architecture, the first ridge beast is always an immortal riding a phoenix.

However, Dule Temple was restored during the Liao Dynasty, so its construction system differs from that of the Han people. The first ridge beast is a horse-riding figure, which is also a characteristic of Liao Dynasty architecture as recorded in historical books.

This discovery further confirms that Su Ze was right; Dule Temple is indeed an ancient building rebuilt during the Liao Dynasty!

Lei Li was completely absorbed, feeling that the terminology in the "Yingzao Fashi" was no longer a cryptic text. By comparing it with the examples in the Guanyin Pavilion of Dule Temple, many parts that he didn't understand suddenly became clear, and the whole book gradually became clear as well.

Su Ze's method really worked!
This is only the Dule Temple!

Lei Li also inquired with officials from Shanxi and found that the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda was indeed a tall pagoda. How many bracket sets would such a tall wooden pagoda require? Would that allow him to understand all the bracket sets in the "Yingzao Fashi" (Building Standards)?
At this moment, Wan Jing, who was next to Lei Li, also made a discovery.

"Grand Minister! Look at this plaque!"

Wang Jing handed the binoculars to Lei Li, who squinted at the plaque and finally saw the inscription.

"Li Bai's handwriting?"

Lei Li was also startled. In history, the only famous person named Taibai was the poet Li Bai!
"Is it really a letter written by Taibai?!"

Lei Li became excited. The plaque was handwritten by Li Bai, so this Dule Temple really was the Tang Dynasty temple where An Lushan raised his army!
Besides the parts rebuilt during the Liao Dynasty, there should still be some traces of construction from the Tang Dynasty.

Wan Jing was even more excited. Using the practical knowledge Su Ze had mentioned, he examined an ancient temple and actually deciphered the code of the "Yingzao Fashi" (Building Standards).

By disassembling the brackets of Dule Temple, we can understand many unit lengths in the "Yingzao Fashi" (Building Standards), and we are not far from deciphering the "Yingzao Fashi"!
Just as the officials of the Ministry of Works were having a great time and were about to demolish the entire Dule Temple,

Suddenly a commotion broke out outside the temple gate, and a group of yamen runners rushed into the temple.

A green-robed official strode into the temple and shouted at Lei Li:
"You trespassers are impersonating government officials and trespassing into the sacred Buddhist sanctuary! Guards, seize them!"

(End of this chapter)